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A Study of Matthew 27:51-53
Posted : 26 Mar, 2012 01:11 PM
Study Notes on Matthew 27:51-53
Dr. Roger W. Maslin
�And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom, and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent, and the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.�
As I approach this passage I am reminded of Rudyard Kipling�s famous verse:
�I keep six honest serving-men (They taught me all I knew);
Their names are What and Why and When And How and Where and Who�
I think this might be a good way to discuss this passage, though not necessarily in that order. These details are included to such length only in Matthew�s account of the crucifixion and resurrection. The startling rending of the veil is often discussed, but an explanation of the other details is overlooked. So an explanation with the �six honest serving men� may be of help. Quotations from the famous commentators should also help.
(Abbreviations for Commentaries: MH=Matthew Henry; JFB=Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown; GILL=John Gill)
What
The fact occurred. Many of the saints arose and appeared in the city of Jerusalem to many. Jesus himself appeared to �above five hundred brethren� mentioned in I Cor. 15:6. When and where that occurred we are not told. What is described here concerns the action of the first contingent of resurrected saints. An earthquake, opening of the select graves, and the appearance of those resurrected saints in the city of Jerusalem were a summary of the facts. The graves were near the city since no one was allowed to be buried within the city walls; hence their going into the city. John Gill explains that all that occurred here �was a proof of Christ's power over death and the grave, by dying; when he through death, destroyed him that had the power of it, and abolished death itself; and became the plague of death and the destruction of the grave, taking into his hands the keys of hell and death:� The whole account is to bear additional testimony to the reality of the resurrection of Jesus.
Who
� But who they were is not to be known; some have thought them to be the ancient patriarchs, as Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, �But it should seem rather, that they were some later saints, such as Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, John the Baptist himself, good old Simeon, Joseph the husband of Mary, and others, well known to persons now alive. Some think they were such, as had been martyrs in the cause of religion; and so the Persic version renders the words, �and the bodies of many saints who suffered martyrdom, rose out of the graves.�" (Gill) Some believe it was the Old Testament believers, but such a great many does not fit the details of the account, which indicates select saints. Others make a case for Job as one of them. At any rate it is plain that as Matthew Henry points out: � These saints that arose, were the present trophies of the victory of Christ's cross over the powers of death, which he thus made a show of openly.�
When
Mat 27:53 - And came out of the graves after his resurrection,..The �When� is important in our understanding of these events. It is clear that the resurrection of these saints did not occur until after the resurrection of Christ as John Gill explains: �for he rose as the first fruits, as the first begotten of the dead, and the firstborn from the dead; for he was the first that was raised to an immortal life; for though others were raised before him, by himself, and in the times of the prophets, yet to a mortal life; but these saints came forth to the resurrection of life, and therefore it was necessary that Christ the first fruits, should rise first.� There was a raising of Lazarus and Jairus daughter, but they were to die later. The resurrection of these saints was different as the Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown commentary states: � But this was a resurrection once for all, to life everlasting; and so there is no room to doubt that they went to glory with their Lord, as bright trophies of His victory over death.�
Where
�� and went into the holy city; the city of Jerusalem, which though now a very wicked city, was so called, because of the temple, and the worship of God, and his residence in it: the burying places of the Jews were without the city, and therefore these risen saints, are said to go into it: and appeared unto many; of their friends and acquaintance, who had personally known them, and conversed with them in their lifetime. These saints, I apprehend, continued on earth until our Lord's ascension, and then joining the retinue of angels, went triumphantly with him to heaven, as trophies of his victory over sin, Satan, death, and the grave.� (GILL)
How
�� and many bodies of saints which slept, arose: not that they arose at the time of Christ's death: the graves were opened then, when the earth quaked, and the rocks were rent; but the bodies of the saints did not arise, till after Christ was risen, as appears from the following verse; but because the other event now happened, they are both recorded here: these were saints, and such as slept in Jesus; and of whom he is the first fruits that now rose; and not all, but many of them, as pledges of the future resurrection, and for the confirmation of Christ's, and the accomplishment of a prophecy in Isa_26:19� .(Gill) �And they rose in the same bodies in which they before lived, otherwise they could not be called their bodies, or known by those to whom they appeared:� (Gill)
�� and the rocks rent � �were rent�- the physical creation thus sublimely proclaiming, at the bidding of its Maker, the concussion which at that moment was taking place in the moral world at the most critical moment of its history. Extraordinary rents and fissures have been observed in the rocks near this spot.� (JFB) � The earth, by trembling under such a load, bore its testimony to the innocence of him that was persecuted, and against the impiety of those that persecuted him.� (MH)
�� and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose. It is far more natural, as we think, and consonant with other Scriptures, to understand that only the graves were opened, probably by the earthquake, at our Lord�s death, and this only in preparation for the subsequent exit of those who slept in them, when the Spirit of life should enter into them from their risen Lord, and along with Him they should come forth, trophies of His victory over the grave. Thus, in the opening of the graves at the moment of the Redeemer�s expiring, there was a glorious symbolical proclamation that the death which had just taken place had �swallowed up death in victory�; and whereas the saints that slept in them were awakened only by their risen Lord, to accompany Him out of the tomb, it was fitting that �the Prince of Life� ... should be the First that should rise from the dead. (Act_26:23; 1Co_15:20, 1Co_15:23; Col_1:18; Rev_1)� (JFB) �But it is more agreeable, both to Christ's honour and theirs, to suppose, though we cannot prove, that they arose as Christ did, to die no more, and therefore ascended with him to glory.� (MH)
�But this was a resurrection once for all, to life everlasting; and so there is no room to doubt that they went to glory with their Lord, as bright trophies of His victory over death.� (JFB)
Why
Some other facts bear repeating in answer to the why of this historical incident. It seemed wise in the sovereign council of God to establish further the historicity of the resurrection of His Son as well as to give us some insight into the nature and surety of our own resurrection. Jesus in His resurrection appearances could appear without opening doors. We are told that we shall be like Him. So if we do not know all the mysteries of our resurrection bodies, we know that they will be different and transformed. �Thus, while it was not deemed fitting that He Himself should appear again in Jerusalem, save to the disciples, provision was made that the fact of His resurrection should be left in no doubt.� (GILL)
�To whom they appeared (not to all the people it is certain, but to many), whether enemies or friends, in what manner they appeared, how often, what they said and did, and how they disappeared, are secret things which belong not to us; we must not covet to be wise above what is written. The relating of this matter so briefly, is a plain intimation to us, that we must not look that way for a confirmation of our faith; we have a more sure word of prophecy.� (MH) �This was an earnest of the general resurrection at the last day, when all that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God.� ( MH)
xo
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